Maintaining the Growing Edge is a research and demonstration project focused on developing and researching human development services for older persons as a means of improving mental health and limiting the effects of mental impairment. During the First Project Year, 1974-1975, research effort was directed at developing procedures and instruments for assessing mental status and providing a human development program to meet individual needs of the older person with particular reference to sensory redevelopment and orientation to time and place, social interaction/communication, long and short term memory, skill acquisition and redevelopment and self-concept in relation to aging. During the second year, a systematic investigation of program effectiveness (in terms of both residents and staff) will be conducted. As part of the research effort, health, demographic and social data are being analyzed in terms of their relationship to human development and mental health. The program effort involves direct and individualized resident services, in-service education (both formal and informal) for staff, families and volunteers, assessment of individual progress and study of the impact of the physical setting in terms of promoting human development. The Ebenezer Society is a multi-service, multi-level geriatric setting serving over 700 residents and allows comparison by level of care and various treatment models. During the third project year, the experiment and studies of program effectiveness are to be completed and a series of program models are to be developed for use in other facilties in the country. In sum, this research/demonstration project is directed at serving the needs of older persons in the area of psycho-social function.